


One In Four (Definitely More)

by Literally_No_One_Cares



Series: Three Is Company, Please! [1]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, Nursey-Centric, Polyamory, Recreational Drug Use, im sorry, its just weed and it's mentioned exactly 1.5 times, so much pining lol I'm sorry, why do I give Dex such a victim complex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-02
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-08-12 16:27:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7941334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Literally_No_One_Cares/pseuds/Literally_No_One_Cares
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek Nurse has a crush. Well, he has two crushes. On completely unobtainable people. Oh well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One In Four (Definitely More)

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in one sitting today because I was that excited ok
> 
> Inspired by Bitty's tweets and my own imagination.

Objectively, Derek knew that he shouldn't assume people’s sexual orientation based off of their appearance, but the second he laid eyes on the pretty redhead that was also touring Samwell, he knew he just had to be straight. Which was lame, because he was very (unconventionally, he _had_ probably gotten made fun of as a kid) attractive and exactly Derek’s type.

And then there’s the other one. His name was Chris and he was very excited to be at Samwell and he loved hockey and his favorite team wastheSharksandhe’sfromCaliand--

Derek liked his enthusiasm. And somehow, even though he was the exact opposite of Mr. Probably Straight, he was also somehow Derek’s type. Maybe Derek’s type was just cute people in general.

These boys were making him rethink Samwell. He applied here because it was the most LGBTQA+ friendly campus in the U.S., but he didn't know if he could handle this much unobtainable attractiveness in one place. Because, obviously, he couldn't try to date his teammates. That wouldn't end well. (Or it could. He couldn't say that for sure.)

It only took five minutes for him to start a fight with Mr. Probably Straight.

* * *

Mr. Probably Straight’s name was William Poindexter. The team started calling him Dex almost immediately, just like Derek was Nursey and Chris was Chowder. A month into the semester and Derek knew that yeah, Dex was straight, and he hated it.

Ok, so Dex never actually said he was straight, but the Samwell Republican sticker on his stupid heterosexual laptop made that pretty clear.

When the team had seen it, Dex tried to explain but they didn't give a chance. Really, what explanation could there be? Dex was a republican on a super liberal campus. He was constantly saying ignorant shit.

Example: right now.

They were in the kitchen, observing Bitty in his natural habitat while Ransom and Holster attempted to play cards (Derek couldn't remember the name of the game but he was pretty sure it was about to get banned anyway), when Dex asked the dumbest thing Nursey had ever heard.

“So that one and four thing about Samwell...it’s not like...actually true, is it?”

Somehow, Bitty answered it without his smile faltering. “Here, watch this,” he said. “One,” he pointed to Chowder, “two,” Nursey, “three,” Dex, “and four,” himself.

“And maybe more,” Chowder and Nursey said together.

“Bro,” Derek laughed and held his first out to Chowder, who enthusiastically bumped it.

“‘Swawesome!”

“How do they even know? How could they possibly know there are that many gay people here?”

“It's not just gay people. I myself am a gay peo--person, but there are lots of people that are bi, pan, poly, trans, nonbinary, agender, ace, aro, and demi,” Bitty explained.

“We’re both bi,” Holster said from the table while trying to peek at Ransom’s cards.

“I am so bi. So bi,” Ransom agreed. “Bro, stop fucking cheating.”

“Nonbinary? What's that?”

Oh no. That opened the floodgates. They argued for a good twenty minutes about the social construct of the gender binary, and Ransom and Holster had a spread sheet. The words ‘heteronormative bullcrap’ were said at some point. Dex was definitely thoroughly educated on gender now.

“But why? How are there that many people in one place?” Dex asked. “I know that the campus is supposed to be LGBT friendly but how did so many LGBT people just end up here all at once?”

“Ok, so, imagine you-- _someone_ has big ears,” Chowder said, and oh boy, Dex was already red from big ear to big ear. “And they get made fun of for it and mistreated and maybe even physically hurt. But y--they see someone else with big ears, and someone with a big nose, and someone with a big forehead, and they all group together. And then more people like them come to them, to keep each other safe. Does that make sense?”

“I guess, Chow, thanks,” Dex muttered.

“I'm so sorry Dex I didn't mean to say anything but you do have big ears and that's not bad, you're very good looking I didn't mean to hurt your feelings of it makes you feel better I have hella messed up teeth which is why I have these stupid braces that make me look twelve, and I talk too much and people think I'm annoying--”

“Yo, chill Chowder, that's how he was born,” Nursey interrupted, grinning.

“C, you're not annoying, and you don't look like you're twelve,” Dex assured him. Which was weird. Derek wasn't expecting that. “You're, um. Pretty good looking yourself.”

Again, unexpected.

* * *

Their sophomore year, it got a _lot_ worse. They had gone from kind of hating each other but acting friendly enough for Chowder’s sake to screaming at each other nonstop the year before, to not talking to each other at all. Derek hated it. He hated Dex. He hated his stupid pretty face and his stupid white republican family and his stupid dumbo ears--

Shit. That was too far. Even without Dex knowing it, Derek couldn't insult something that was such a sensitive thing for Dex.

And Chowder had a girlfriend now. So neither one of Derek’s stupid crushes was reciprocated and he felt like a shitty YA novel protagonist, pining for two boys he couldn't have, except he wasn't white and also wasn't the chosen one, and if this were a YA novel at least one of them would like him back.

With Chowder spending more time with Caitlin, and Dex staying away from him all together, Derek was lonely, pining, and playing some really bad hockey. He couldn't really blame Dex; he wasn't doing anything differently on the ice. Derek was just stuck in his own head so much that he couldn't concentrate.

They were still winning, thanks to Bitty and Ransom and Holster, but Derek needed to get it together.

Everything got even worse when Tango asked The Question.

“So how true is that one in four maybe more thing?”

They were in the Haus, Bitty perched on the armrest of the couch with a pillow underneath him, Ransom, Holster, and Lardo on the floor, holding GameCube controllers and yelling, and Dex, Chowder, Tango, and Derek sitting on the couch itself.

Bitty was about to answer him, but for some reason, Dex felt the need to do it.

“I asked the same thing last year,” Dex began, “but it's real. Watch. One,” Ransom, “two,” Holster, “three,” Lardo, “four,” Bitty, “and one,” Derek, “two,” Tango, “three,” Chowder, “four.” Dex himself.

What.

“And maybe more!” Chowder cheered.

What the fuck.

“Oh, ok. I guess that's cool then,” Tango said, satisfied with the demonstration.

What the _fuck_.

How dare he. How dare William fucking Poindexter come out so casually, how dare he allow Derek to pine over him for almost a year and a half, how dare he be so attractive and have such a terrible personality but also apparently be gay this entire time? What the fuck?

“Wait, bro, you pointed to Bitty last and then you pointed to yourself last,” Holster pointed out, pausing Smash Bro's. “So, was that the most fucking cool way of coming out ever, or was that a coincidence.?”

“The first one,” Dex said, and there was that dumb blush. Why did Derek think that was cute?

“Bro, congrats,” Ransom told him.

“Thank you for trusting us with this moment, sweetheart,” Bitty chimed in, ruffling Dex’s hair. “So are you gay, bi, pan, poly--”

“I'm gay.”

“Wait, Dex, my dude, my bro, my fellow D-man, what about your laptop? The sticker?” Holster asked and turned around on the floor to face the defenseman in question.

“Sticker? Laptop? I have so many questions,” Tango mumbled.

“Dex has a sticker on his laptop for the Samwell Republicans club,” Chowder explained.

“You guys never let me tell you before so I just kind of went with it? But I, um, I put it on there as kind of a joke. There was a guy handing them out so I took one. I'm kind of one of three democrats in my family, but we all still get along because family is more important than politics, so I thought it would be funny if I put the sticker somewhere they would see it when I went home. And I forgot it was there, but I figured you guys would get the joke but apparently not.”

“But what about all that stuff you said last year?” Ransom questioned.

“You mean the genuine questions that I needed answered because I was raised by republicans and didn't know any better?”

“Shit,” Derek whispered.

Shitty would be so disappointed in him (in all of them! They had all judged Dex without questioning it!) for being so heteronormative. Just because Dex dressed like a dad and asked questions that he assumed everyone should know the answer to didn't mean Dex was straight, or homophobic, or republican.

Shit shit shit shit.

* * *

Derek just kept making stupid assumptions. Chowder was from California. One of the most progressive states in the country. came across as innocent and virginal, but that didn't mean he was. So what he was hearing was kind of a shock.

They were sitting in Chowder’s room together, both studying, Chowder at his desk and Derek occupying the floor in front of the bed. (“You can sit on the bed if you want, Nursey.” “But dude, the floor is so _chill_.” “...ok, then…”)

Chowder’s phone buzzed. He picked it up, stared at it for several seconds, and put it back down. “Oh, wow.”

“What's wrong C?” Derek was always worried when Chowder said less than five words at a time.

“My ex boyfriend just texted me and he wants to get back together. Which wouldn't be a problem if he wasn't in California, you know? I broke up with him and my other boyfriend because I didn't think it was fair to them to be long distance if I might date somebody else at Samwell.”

Chowder was polyamorous? Why did nobody tell him this? Chowder was polyamorous, Dex (who still wasn't talking to him) was gay--what was next, Bitty dating Jack?

Derek wanted to scream. He wanted to ask Chowder if he wanted to be Derek’s boyfriend. He wanted to stand up and kiss him. Instead, he just said, “That sucks bro,” because he needed to maintain his chill.

“I know Farmer wouldn't mind, but I really just don't think it's fair to him for him to be so far away and her be here.”

God, Derek was short circuiting. He couldn't handle this much new information all at once. He needed time to catch his breath before he got it knocked out of him all over again. If William Poindexter didn't kill him, Chris Chow would.

* * *

“They're both going to kill me.”

Lardo nodded, took a hit, and passed the blunt to Derek. They were closed off in her room with towels stuffed under the doors to avoid setting off the smoke alarm--they’d learned from experience.

“That's fucked up dude,” she agreed. “I don't really have any experience in the poly-relationship department, but I think you should go for it.”

“Are you crazy?” Derek laughed weakly.

“No, I'm high. But I'm serious. Chowder loves you, he'd be up for dating you. And Dex is avoiding you because he can't handle how hot you are.”

“Yeah, sure,” Derek snorted.

“You are a fucking catch Derek Nurse. And I may have overheard him telling Chowder that his 'lame gay crush' on you turns him into an ass so he's avoiding you. Our rooms _are_ connected by a bathroom that we share.”

“Fuck.”

* * *

So he probably should have talked to Dex immediately after Lardo told him, but Derek was actually a scared thirteen year old so he just continued to let things be super awkward for another week because why the fuck not.

But Chowder, precious, wonderful Chowder, asked them both to hang out with him. In his room. In an empty Haus.

It was like Chowder read his mind.

“Wait, Chowder, you didn't say Nursey was going to be here. I told you I--”

Chowder locked the bedroom door. “I know, I know. But I really think you should just be honest about your feelings and talk this out, because you're my best friends and it kind of hurts me for you guys to avoid each other like this. Even when you're in the same room you don't talk.”

“Chris, please don't make me do this. I can't handle the rejection,” Dex begged. He sounded so heartbroken. It made Derek's insides twist.

“I promise, Dex, it'll be ok,” Chowder said earnestly.

Derek wanted to reassure him, but he wasn't sure how. He was the reason Dex felt bad. He didn't say anything and sat on the end of Chowder’s bed.

“Nursey, maybe you should go first. Let's talk about how you felt at the beginning of last year.”

Oh. He forgot he told Chowder about that. “I thought you were insanely attractive and heterosexual.” Derek admitted. “I also thought C was pretty cute.”

“Aw, Nursey! You're the sweetest. And not so bad yourself. Dex, what did you think of Nursey?”

“I thought he was a dumb hipster rich kid that was also hot and that made me mad,” Dex told Chowder. “And I thought you were really cool, too.”

“And what about this year, how do you feel about Nursey now?”

“He's a lot cooler than I thought a only kind of infuriating, but I already made him hate me so I didn't want to have to deal with liking him while he couldn't stand me.”

Chowder nodded. “Ok, Nursey, do you hate Dex?”

Derek shook his head, which made Dex look genuinely surprised. “I thought we were making progress, even after all of last year being awful. But he stopped talking to me and I didn't know what I did wrong.”

Dex stepped away from his fixed place by the door. “Last year was awful because the whole team--except you Chowder--assumed I was a giant dick and wouldn't let me prove I wasn't!”

“I know,” Derek sighed, hanging his head. Dex did a double take. “I'm so sorry Dex.”

“I guess I'm sorry for yelling a lot,” Dex murmured. The three of them were still and silent for a few seconds, and then Dex sat down next to Nursey.

“Dex, since you know that Nursey doesn't hate you, do think you want to tell him how you really feel?” Chowder asked, hopeful.

“I like you. A lot. Romantically.”

Derek grinned. “That's good, since I like you too.”

Dex's eyes went wide, and he turned to better face Derek. “You do?”

“Chyeah. I like I already said, I noticed you on the taddy tour. Of course, you opened your mouth and ruined it, but somehow I still really like you,” Derek confirmed.

Chowder clapped loudly, and smiled big enough to give Derek sympathy cheek pains. “You guys! This is great! Now you can be boyfriends, and not fight as much, and you'll probably even be better on the ice, since you'll be more in sync.”

“C’s got the right idea. Wanna be my boyfriend, Poindexter?” Derek asked.

Dex was so red right now. “Yeah,” he replied dumbly before tackling Nursey backwards on Chowder’s bed. Derek wrapped his arms tightly around Dex’s middle and looked up at Chowder.

Who was also very red. Derek hadn't really considered--man, two birds with one stone. “C’mere, Chowder.”

Dex apparently had the same idea, rolling over and making room for Chowder to fit in between them. “I just love you guys so much.”

“C, do you also want to be my boyfriend?”

“Really? Oh my gosh, Nursey, I--I can't wait to tell Caitlin! She'll be so happy for me, I've been gushing to her about how much I want to date you forever.”

“If you're dating Nurse you're dating me too,” Dex declared, but he was smiling, watching Chowder from under his golden eyelashes.

“Whoa, Chow, is your nose bleeding?”

**Author's Note:**

> Chowder pictured Nursey and Dex kissing in front of him. Naked. He still hasn't recovered.


End file.
